For more than 20 years, Eminem has guarded the Slim Shady name like hip-hop royalty, so it’s no shock that anything sounding even close sets off alarms. That’s exactly what happened when an Australian beachwear brand rolled out a line called Swim Shady, a cute pun to everyone except Eminem. Now, the 53-year-old rapper is taking the company to court.
Here’s why Eminem is suing the beach brand
According to documents filed in September, Eminem, born Marshall B. Mathers III, has asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to shut down the Swim Shady trademark that was recently approved for the Sydney-based brand (via BBC News).
His legal team says the company is creating a “false association” with his famous Slim Shady persona, a name he locked down with a U.S. trademark way back in 1999. The Aussie brand now has until next week to respond with an official response.
The whole situation began because of the company’s name. They first registered it in Australia in 2023, and before they ever became Swim Shady, they were using a name that sounded way too close for comfort, Slim Shade.
The brand officially launched in 2024, selling beach umbrellas, swim bags, and sun-protection gear. Earlier this year, they pushed for a U.S. trademark, and it actually got approved right before Eminem’s legal team moved to challenge it.
The company, on the other hand, insists it hasn’t done anything wrong. It called itself a “grass-roots Australian company” that just wants to create stylish sun-shade gear for the country’s brutal heat.
Because the case is still unfolding, they kept things tight-lipped but made it clear they plan to defend their valuable intellectual property.
Even though Eminem trademarked the Slim Shady term in the U.S. years ago, he only applied for the Australian rights in January 2025. Still, his legal team argues the name is global, practically stitched into hip-hop culture.
After all, “The Real Slim Shady” wasn’t just a hit; it was the track that blew him into worldwide superstardom and earned him a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance. His lawyers say the name is now “distinctive and famous,” implying that brands don’t get a free pass to use it as they please.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
